Behind the Scene

From Mymensingh

Taking Care of Football

Aminul Islam

Mamun Choudhury, a young Bangladeshi man has done some great work not just in sports but also in doing volunteer work in England. He's gained recognition as well as awards for this.

The son of Al-hajj Mohammad Shahabuddin Chowdhury from the village of Khadimpur under Osmani Nagar Upazila in Sylhet, Mamun first went to London with his family at the age of three. He was brought up in Tower Hamlets in England and studied at a school there.

At the age of 16, he co-founded a football team by the name Beaumont Athletic and became the youngest Bangladeshi football manager when he was only 17. He is now managing the 1st team (a first division team) as an experienced manager in Tower Hamlets. Under his management, the team moved into the Senior Football League and took part in the FA Vase Cup. He is also an FA qualified coach and has won a number of 'Manager of the Season' awards. His team Beaumont Athletic comprises of 30 members. The team visited Bangladesh in 2007 and played a friendly match with Dhaka Mohammedan.

Mamun also volunteered his services for the Inner London Football League, Bangladesh Football Association, Asian Football League, Asian Football Federation and the East London Summer League. He also organised the Safe Neighbourhood Tournament for Councillor Abdel Ullah jointly with the Metropolitan Police and the Bangla TV Cup with Bangla TV channel in London. He was awarded the Tower Hamlets Civic Award in 2007 for his contribution to both sports and volunteering.

For his volunteer services he also received the Canary Wharf Awards and the Stepney Voice Newspaper Award. He was awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE) title for his services to football and for his charity work.

Now 31 years old and the father of three children, Mamun runs his firm at Stepney called Mainstream Contract Company. He is also the Sports Secretary of the Umarpur Union Welfare Trust at his birthplace Sylhet.

Talking about the present condition of football in Bangladesh, Mamun said he was hopeful but he also suggested that people should be made to be more interested in the game. More opportunities should be opened up for this game and young talents should be discovered.

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